In a letter to the South Orange-Maplewood School Community tonight, Acting Superintendent Jim Memoli and Columbia High School Principal Elizabeth Aaron said that the district was providing counseling for students and was continuing to cooperate with law enforcement agencies in the wake of the arrest of a Columbia High School teacher.
Memoli and Aaron also advised parents to talk to their children, contact guidance counselors if their child is showing any signs of stress, and contact law enforcement if their child has any information that might be helpful to the investigation.
Nicole Dufault, a 10th grade language arts teacher who has taught at CHS for approximately 9 years, was arrested last Wednesday and has been accused of sexually assaulting five 15-year-old male students, according to Acting Essex County Prosecutor Carolyn A. Murray and Maplewood Police Chief Robert J. Cimino.
Dufault was charged with multiple counts of first-degree aggravated sexual assault and second degree charges of endangering the welfare of a child, according to a release from Murray’s office. Dufault appeared in court Friday to plead not guilty to the charges involving the first three students.
Here is the full letter from Memoli and Aaron:
Dear Members of the SOMSD Community:
Our primary concern continues to be the health, safety and well-being of all of our students, staff, and families. As a result of the teacher arrest last week at Columbia High School, we are informing you of what we are doing in response, and offering you some resources.
Rumors will always occur, and we will not be able to comment on the allegations, investigations, or any possible evidence.
What we are doing in school and in the district:
- We are fully cooperating with the prosecutor’s office.
- We are providing ongoing access to school and outside supports – including the CHS administrative team, guidance counselors, student assistance counselors, school social workers, teachers, and our employee assistance program, CONCERN.
- We are keeping lines of communication open between parents, students, teachers, administrators, guidance staff, counselors, and social workers.
- We are addressing individual concerns as they arise.
- We are focusing on the essential work of teaching and learning, building a sense of community, and deeply engaging students in developing their academic and extracurricular talents.
What you can do at home:
- Talk to your child. The nature of the charges are the most difficult that parents and children would ever have to discuss together. We therefore have compiled some resources on the attached page to help you support your child.
- If your child is showing signs of stress in reaction to the events or the investigation, please reach out to his or her guidance counselor or a member of the administrative team.
- If your child has information that might be helpful to the investigation, please reach out to the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office Special Victims Unit at 973-753-1130.
We believe deeply in our mission to provide our students with a nurturing, healthy environment where they can do the important work of learning and developing as students, athletes, artists, and leaders. We ask that members of the larger community and the news media respect the privacy of minors and allow us as a school and a community to support our children by maintaining our focus on teaching and learning and all that that entails.
Thank you for the incredible outpouring of support and partnership in overcoming this challenge and building an even stronger Columbia High School community.
Sincerely,
James G. Memoli
Acting Superintendent
